Cutting machine for making lined wirebound boxes



' Sept. 11, 1956 w HOGAN ET AL. 2,762,432

CUTTING MACHINE FOR MAKING LINED WIREBOUND BOXES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMay s, 1955 INVENTOR. fig'o an.

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II II Anlhony BY Sept. 11,1956 w. J. HOGAN ET AL CUTTING MACHINE FORMAKING LINED WIREBOUND BOXES Filed May 8, 1953 5 Sheeis-Sheet 2 r e m.04! m x M w w m MHSIH IJM. A my mm 0% mm Y B Sept. 11, 1956 w, HOGANETAL CUTTING MACHINE FOR MAKING LINED WIREBOUND BOXES Filed May 8, 19535 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Office 1, 2,762,432 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 N. 1.,assignors to Stapling Machines Co., Rockaway, N. J., a corporation ofDelaware Application May 8, 1953, Serial No. 353,884

3 Claims. (Cl. 164-38) This invention relates to machines for producingloop fasteners on the ends of the binding wires on wirebound boxes,including crates, and particularly to improvements in such machineswhich adapt them for the production of lined wirebound boxes of the typehaving protective or sealing flaps at their closing corners, asdisclosed in the co-pending application Serial No. 291,708, filed June4, 1952, now U. S. Patent No. 2,698,109, granted December 28, 1954.

The invention is shown herein as applied to a loop fastener machine ofthe type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,161,200, issued June 6, 1939.Such machines are adapted to receive a succession of wirebound boxblanks, each comprising a plurality of box sections or sides formed ofside material or slats with reinforcing cleats stapled thereto along thelateral edges of the box blanks, with the several box sections foldablysecured together by binding wires fastened thereto by staples drivenastride the binding wires and through the side material and, in the caseof the outside binding wires, into the reinforcing cleats. In such loopfastener machines, the binding wires are severed in the intervalsbetween adjacent box blanks, prongs are formed in the resulting cut wireends and the binding wires are bent to form loops therein and to placethe prongs over the side material of the end sections of the box blanksand the prongs are driven through the side material and clinched overagainst the undersurface thereof to secure the loops. When the box blankis folded around to set up the box, the loops on the trailing endsection of the box blank, which forms the front of the box, come intoopposition with the loops on the leading end section, which forms thetop of the box, and the former loops, being somewhat narrower than thelatter, are inserted through the latter and bent down to secure the boxclosed.

In lined wirebound boxes of the type referred to in the aforementionedco-pending application, the box is lined with a cushioning material suchas corrugated fiberboard, and the front section of the box is providedwith a foldable flap of the lining material which extends from the upperedge of the front section in position to seal oif the closing corner ofthe box and protect its contents against pinching, bruising or otherdamage. To provide this foldable flap, the lining material is foldedover for a short distance at one end of the box blank to form twolayers, which, like the restof the lining material, are secured to thebox blank by virtue of the fact that their lateral ends are sandwichedbetween the side material and the cleats, and by the staples and prongswhich are clinched over against the outer layer. In order to facilitatehandling of the box during shipment, etc., the outer layer is normallyleft flat against the inner layer until the box is set up, at which timeit is pulled outwardly to form the foldable flap.

The present invention has for one of its objects the provision in theloop fastener machine of practical apparatus for mechanicallyperforating the ends of the outer layer of the lining material tofacilitate separation of it from the inner layer to form the foldableflap. Another object of the present invention is to provide such anapparatus which is simple and inexpensive in construction and which isadapted for incorporation in existing loop fastener machines withminimum alteration of such machines. Other and further objects of theinvention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a loop fastener machineincluding perforating and slitting mechanism embodying certain featuresof the invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the machin taken generallyalong the line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the machine, atenlarged scale, showing a portion of the trailing end of a crate blankbeing operated upon by the loop forming elements of the machine at anintermediate state of their operation;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the portion of the machine shown inFigure 3, as viewed from the side corresponding to the right-hand sideof that figure;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the upperportion of the machine shown in Figure 3, illustrating the completion ofthe prong driving and liner perforating operations;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken generallyalong the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of the underside of thetrailing end of a wirebound crate blank showing the perforations andslits produced by the apparatus of Figures l-6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the corners atthe trailing end of the crate blank showing the perforations and slitsmore clearly; and,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a wirebound crate, assembled and fullypacked, illustrating the protective flap at the closing corner of thecrate.

In Figures 1 and 2, a continuous succession of wirebound crate blanks B,secured together by binding wires W is shown supported in a loopfastener machine on the vertically movable table T. The crate blanks arefed intermittently through the machine in the direction indicated by thearrows A by means of conveyor belts (not shown) frictionally engagingthe lateral edges of the crate blanks. The succession of crate blanks ismoved forward by incremental distances equal to the spacing of the crateblanks, with the forward movement of the succession of crate blanksbeing briefly interrupted each time it reaches the position shown inFigures 1 and 2 at which the binding wires W in one of the intervalsbetween adjacent crate blanks B are centered between the upper formingdies F and the lower forming blocks F. Thereupon, the table T is loweredto place the binding wires W upon the lower forming blocks F and theforming dies F are driven downwardly to cause the wires to be severedand to form prongs in the resulting cut wire ends. Then the upperforming dies F are retracted and the spindles S are raised to engage thebinding wires and rotated to bend the end portions of the binding wiresto form loops therein and to place the prongs over the slats at the endsof the adjacent sections G and H of the crate blanks. Then the drivers Dare driven downwardly to drive the prongs through the slats where theyare clinched over by the clinchers C to secure the loops. The driversthen are retracted and the movement of the succession of box blanks isresumed.

Figure 3 shows a typical loop fastener unit, which operates upon one ofthe outside binding wires on the trailing end section G of each crateblank. As may be seen in that figure, the-crate blank includes slats Iwith reinforcing cleats K stapled thereto adjacent the lateral edges ofthe crate blank by staples M driven astride the binding wires W, throughthe slats J and into the cleats K. Each crate blank is also providedwith lining material L at the inner faces of the slats J, the piece oflining material under the outer. slat on the trailing crate section Gbeing doubledover along theouter edgeyof the slat to proyidetwo layers.

I andO. The. outer layer. O is somewhatwider than the inner layer I sothat it. projects beyondthe inner edge of the outer slat gist-indicatedat ltl to facilitate grasping.

ofthe outer layer for formation of the-.foldableflap.

:InFigureB the. loopwform-ing elements of. the machine are shown at anintermediate stage of their operation, in which the driver Dhas driventhe prongP fully into the slat I so that it projects through.theslat-and the two to move downwardly slightly to theposition shown in-Figure 5 atwhich-the prongsP engage the. clincher anvils .6; nd. r inhed v r a nst th Hde s faC Q ou e ay r of he lin ng m t riab a t lus tedTo accomplish the perforating and slitting operations according to thepresent invention, a cutting knife. 18 is secured to the'outerface ofeach of the two clincher as semblies C for the outside binding wires. onhe trailing sections G. The upper edge of the cutting knife 18, which isserrated'to provide teeth 18a, extends longitudinally of the loopfastener machine near the inner face of the outside cleat K, as shown inFigure 4. The cutting knife 18 is securedto theclincher C by means ofbolts 20 passing through openings 21' in the clincher C which areelongated to permit adjustment of the vertical position ofthecuttingknife, The cutting knife is normally positioned so that the.points of the teeth 18a are at ap- PIQXimately the same level as theupper face of the clincher plate 12.

Adjacent the left-hand end of the cuttingknife 18, as.

viewed in'Figures 3 and 5, and positioned for cooperative cutting actiontherewith, a smaller cutting knife 22 is provided. The knife'22 issecured to and projects downwardly from the head 24a of a bolt 24 whichextends upwardly between a pair of angle members 26 and is adjustablysecured thereto by locknuts 28. The. angle members 26 project rearwardlyfrom a bracket 30 secured to the driver D. The upper knife 22 isslightly narrower than the spacing between the adjacent slats of thecrate blank and is positioned in alignment with the space between theouter slat on the trailing section G and the slat next thereto.

As the crate blank is driven downwardly by the driver Dior clinchingofthe prong P, as shown in Figure 5, the teeth 18a of the cutting knife 18are caused to pierce the outer layer 0 of the lining material and formtherein a row of perforations 32, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The upperknife 22, which is driven downwardly with the driver D, passes throughthe space between the end slat and the adjacent slat and, in-cooperativecutting relation, past the teeth 18a of the lower cutting knife 18', asshown in Figures and 6. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, this resultsinforming a slit 34 extending from the end of each of the rows ofperforations 32 across the projecting portion of the outer layer 0.These slits 34 facilitate tearing of the outer layer 0 along the rowsof'perforations 32.

After the prongs havetbeen fully driven,

Cit

To support the projecting portion 10 of the outer layer 0 and preventits being bent or torn during the slitting operation, an arm 36 (Figures3, 5 and 6) is adjustably positioned on the table T so as to extendunder the projecting portion 10.

When the crate blank is-set up, as shown in Figure 9, the projectingportion 10 of the outer layer 0 may be easily grasped and pulledoutwardly to tean the outer layer along the rows of perforations 32 andadjacent each of the clinched-over prongs P and. staples M to free theouter layer and form a foldable sa 38 as: indicated in broken lines inFigure 7. 'This; foldablje flap 38 projects from the upper edge of thefront of the assembled crate, as shown in Figure 9 in position'to sealthe closing corner of the crate and-protect its contents.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that there hasbeen provided an extremely simple and inexpensive apparatus, readilyadapted for inclusion in existing loop fastener machines, which resultsin p,erfora-. tion of the outer layer of the liningmaterial along oneendof a box or crate blank to, facilitate, formation of a foldable flap. Itwill therefore be appreciated that the aforementioned. and otherdesirable, objects have. been achieved. However, it should be emphasizedthat the particular embodiment of the invention which is shown anddescribed herein is intended as merely illustrative and which they arebent. to. form loop fasteners, a: pair of cuttingknives-secured in saidmachine with their cutting edges extending adjacent the paths of theinner faces of said cleats at such height that at the extremity. ofsuch.

lateral movement of. said container blanks, said cutting edges will comeinto cutting engagement with the outer layer of a lining material-lyingagainstthe undersurface of said side material and doubled over alongsaid end of said container blank to cut said outer layer along two linesadjacent the inner faces of said cleats whereby said outer layer maysubsequently be pulled away from the inner layer of said liningmaterial: to. form a flap for sealing the closing corner of thecontainer formed from said blank.

2. The invention claimed. in. claim 1 wherein said cuttings edges areserrated.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting edges arepositioned at such height as tov cut; only through the outer layer ofsaid lining material.

R ferences Ci ed in the fileof this. P t nt U D STATES PATENTS- 426,685Saflord Apr. 29,- 1890 833,470 Lipowsky Oct. 16, 1906 846,362 Swift Mar.5, 1907 1,487,130 Witherell Mar. 18, 1924 1,660,854 Armstrong Feb. 28,1928 1,933,031 Rosenmund Oct; 31, 1933 2,140,169 Rosenmnnd Dec. 13; 19382,161,200 Rosenmund June 6, 1939- 2,228,304 Florcyk Jan. 14, 19412,244,049 Capps June 3, 1941

